Screen.



Ila-846,907; PATENTED MAR. 12 1907.

' M. s. CLARK.

SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY a1, 1906.

i ,& s1

I I. w I

Wihwooeo MORGAN S. CLARK, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Application filed May 31,1906. Serial No. 319,550.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORGAN S. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements. in Screens, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to door and window screens, and more particularly to that class designated as fly-screens, whereby dwellings, hotels, hospitals, and the like may be thoroughly and economically protected against flies and similar insects, one of the obj ects being to provide a screen of the character described that shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, durable, and effectual for the purposes for which it is designed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen having means of egress for the flies or other insects that alight thereon from the interior of the room the doors and windows of which are provided with this embodiment of screen, which means are so arranged and constructed that insects will readily avail themselves of them, and which guard against their return, as will herein after more fully appear.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the structural features by means of which they are attained, will be made clear by an examination of the specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which the same referencenu1nerals indicate corresponding portions throughout, and in which- Figure'l is a perspective view of a screen constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on the plane indicated byline 2 2 of Fig. 1.- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the reverse or rear side of the guideway-ban and Fig. 4. is a perspective view of a portion of the top of the screen-frame and showing the groove in which the guideway-b ar rests.

Referring to the numerals, 1 designates a screen-frame of ordinary construction, with the exception that the upper bar or crosspiece 2 is provided with a longitudinal semicircular groove 3, in which fits and rests an elongated semicircular guideway-bar 4, having the enlarged portions 5, said bar being adjustably supported by the upper edge of a yieldingly-flexible wire screen 6 of any desired mesh, to which the flat edge of the bar is attached in any suitable manner. A short distance below the bar 5 the sides of the screen are left free, so that the bar may be pulled out or pushed in, the screen being of such texture that it will remain in the position to which it has been bent, thus holding the bar in or out of the groove 3, as may be desired.

In operation the frame of the screen is fitted in a window or other similar opening in the usual manner, so that the side ofthe frame to which the wire is secured will be outermost. The enlarged portions of the bar 4 are of the same size as the groove 3, and as they rest therein the rear edge of the bar, which is flat, is flush with the outer edge of the frame 1. The open spaces or recesses 7 between the enlarged portions serve as avenues or guideways through which the flies or other insects travel on their way to the open air, and as a means of guarding against their return I provide the groove with a coating of black paint or other substance which aids in darkening the recesses 7. As is well known, insects, particularly house-flies, travel up ward and toward the light when seeking an outlet. Consequently, the light being stronger on the exterior than the interior of a room, the flies seek egress by first alighting on the screen, and then by traveling upward in the direction of the arrows; they find the gates or openings afforded by the recesses 6, and as the light appears at the outer end of the openings they travel toward it and go out. When they attempt to return, however, the openings are dark, and as they will not travel downward into darkness they will not at tempt to gain entrance from the outside through said openings. The upper portion of the screen 6 being left free and said screen being constructed of wire, it will be observed that the elongated bar 4 can be adjusted by slightly bending the screen outwardly to enlarge the spaces 3,-or said spaces may be rendered smaller by pushing said bar farther into the groove, and this construction and arrangement of parts enables the operator to so adjust the bar that larger insects than the ordinary house-flies may escape through the avenues or spaces 7.

From the foregoing it is thought the construction, operation, and advantages of'my invention will be apparent, and further explanation is not deemed necessary.

Having thus described my said invention,

arranged in the frame, and an elongated what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A screen comprising a suitable frame, the upper cross-piece of which is provided I with a longitudinal groove, a wire meshing guideway-bar secured to the meshing and having enlarged portions adapted to ht the groove and rest therein so as to leave open spaces or avenues between the same.

2. A screen comprising a suitable frame, the upper cross-piece of which is provided with a longitudinal groove, a wire meshing arranged in the frame, an elongated guideway-bar secured to the meshing and having enlarged portions adapted to fit the groove and rest therein so as to leave open spaces or avenues between the same, and means for darkening said avenues.

3. A screen comprising a suitable frame, the 'upper cross-piece of which is provided with a longitudinal groove having a darkcolored floor and side walls, awire meshing arranged in the frame, and a movably and adjustably mounted guideway-bar having enlarged portions adapted to fit the groove and rest therein.

A. A screen comprising a suitable frame, the upper cross-piece of which is provided with a longitudinal groove having a darkcolored floor and side walls, a wire meshing arranged in the frame, and an elongated guideway-bar secured to the meshing and having enlarged portions adapted to fit the groove and rest therein so as to leave open spaces or avenues between the same.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MORGAN S. CLARK. l/Vitnesses C. L. BEAMER, LEROY A. CLARK. 

